


Obviously

by theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Of course they would end up together, Team 10, Yakiniku Q
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-17 22:24:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3545951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs/pseuds/theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chouji knew, of course they would end up together. Kami had sealed their fates together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Obviously

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of my joint project with tsubasa_1742, Confessions of Love.

Yakiniku Q was always open for business as long as people came in.

They served all manner of folk. Rich or poor. Local or foreign. Civilian or shinobi.

They were known for their original taste and sauces throughout the Fire Land and you couldn' t find a nicer place than this in Konoha. Maybe except Ichiraku. But that was the Nanadaime Hokage's favorite restaurant so of course you can't expect nothing but the best of them.

Yakiniku attracted all people who craved their meat grilled to their own suit.

The owners were grateful for the prosperous business and the unwavering loyalty of the customers even with the new shops opening up in Konoha after the war.

They wished they didn't need the expensive insurance, though.

It was a particular set of customers that they wished they could drive away but couldn't. After all, when they sat down, they paid for half a weekend day's worth of food.

" ** _That's my slice!"_ ** Ino roared and the servers who heard all sighed in unison.

Chouji frowned as he placed it on his plate. "I called this one, Ino. You just hadn't been listening."

A vein popped in Ino's temple immediately.

Shikamaru groaned and rested his forehead on the table. **_Here we go again_.**

He wondered if it was a little too many years too late to ask to switch places with maybe Kiba or Lee.

The three friends knew each other enough by now to know each other inside out.

So of course this was not gonna be easy.

It never was.

Shikamaru had heard it when Chouji specifically claimed the said juicy and large piece of meat but Ino had been ranting about her ungodly shift hours in the hospital at the time and had been forcing Shikamaru to pay attention to her with hands grasping both sides of his head that would have crushed his skull had he resisted.

Ino knew the claim was true and valid because if Chouji hadn't taken possesion of the meat earlier, he would have given it to her, albeit unwillingly, since it was looking to be the best slice in the batch and she always forced everyone to get the biggest one. They'd had that rule that whoever first lays claim will get it end of story. She and Chouji had a lot of squabbles over who got to yell **_'mine!'_ ** first ever since they started the rule. Kami knows how many times. But since she didn't hear it, she was free to argue for it. Hopefully, Chouji will back down.

She knew he wouldn't, though. So she hoped secretly that her tenacity, shrill yelling and her ability to level down buildings with her fists (though not as adept as Sakura is, which she will never, _ever_ admit) will be enough to scare him off for this one time. (Or thousandth. She'd lost count.)

Chouji would hold his ground. Because food he's claimed is rightfully _his_ for the taking, no questions asked. And Ino would be a fool to even think he would give it to her.

"No!" She tried to swipe the plate out of his hand but he held it away. "I would have heard!"

"You were too busy yapping!"

"I still would have heard!" She insisted. "I'm a shinobi of the Leaf!"

"I said it twice!" Chouji disputed. "When Kana-chan came!"

The waitress scampered to the kitchen to take her much needed break as soon as the big-boned nin pointed in her direction.

"Shikamaru didn't hear it, didn't you, Shika?!"

Shikamaru groaned. Now they've rounded on him again! He should've snucked out as soon as Ino yelled.

How troublesome.

He mentally checked his list on how to distract Ino again. They usually worked. But most of the time she beat them both up. And Chouji would owe him huge.

Mostly he just did it because even though the owners couldn't well kick them out, requests from other patrons can cause them to be banned. Plus it was a pain to pay for the broken furniture and walls. Ino never helped, claiming innocence that they had spurred her temper and would refuse outright. They would have no choice but to carry the burden alone. And with Asuma sensei not here to pay for her part, Shikamaru and Chouji will go broke.

 _Why'd you have to leave me to deal with these two, sensei?_ He bitterly groaned to the heavens.

He finished ticking off his list and found out that he had to make a new list soon. He'd run out of things to say or do. (Which was kind of a relief since this was one of those days that he was tired, _so tired_ of having to save Chouji's ass from her wrath.)

Shikamaru did not lift his head up.

Ino then grabbed his clothes and began to shake him in wild abandon, causing his forehead to bump against the table hard a couple of times.

"SHIKAMARU!" She whined. "TELL HIM! TELL HIM YOU DIDN'T HEAR HIM!"

Chouji was looking sorry at his friend. He would have eaten it to be over but she kept an angry blue eye on him. Even he couldn't dare eat it with her glaring knives towards him like that.

_"SHIKA! SHIKAAAA! SHIKAMARUUUU~!"_

"Ow, Ino!" Shikamaru complained, holding her wrists, trying to stop her from shaking him. " _Yamete, Ino_!"

She dropped her hold but he hadn't.

"Traitor!" She snapped. "You're going to side with him when you didn't hear him either!"

She then started to pull on the tears and every person in the room sweatdropped.

"I _never_ get my way with you boys! You're always ganging up on me!" She sniffled.

To an unsuspecting passersby (or a newcomer in the shop), this would be a cause of panic. Two boys abusing a beautiful girl to tears? And for _food_ of all things? For shame!

But this was Ino and Shikamaru and Chouji.

This isn't going to work. Shikamaru wonders why she bothers and sighs.

 _She's a real piece of work_ , he thinks, cursing his family for linking his life to this annoying brat to the end of his days.

Chouji, though he knew this old trick, was about to fall for it with the uncomfortable guilty look on his face. But Shikamaru couldn't let that happen. Ino knew it belonged to Chouji and if he let Ino have his way, all their arrangements would fall apart and hell would break loose with Ino thinking she could have everything she wanted every time.

He tilted his head back and moaned out loud.

"Can we have another plate for this baby?" He said loudly.

To his luck, a server immediately placed one plate of fresh pork for in front of Ino and she rejoiced.

" ** _All mine_**!" She declared happily. "Shika said these were all for me!"

The intended customer for the plate could barely get protest his out when Ino whirled to glare at him.

"That's not fair, Shikamaru!" Chouji wailed. "I'll have another plate for myself, too!"

Shkamaru paid no more attention but to Ino beaming as she grilled her pieces, the earlier argument over.

"You're paying for these, _right, Shika_?" She asked in a sweet voice that Shikamaru knew conceled deadly threats.

She never did pay her rightful share ever with all her ' _Shika_ s'.

He sighed and rested his chin on his palm and closed his eyes, hoping for a little bit of peace. "How troublesome!"

She giggled as Chouji was served a new batch and he bit into his prize and grilled the new arrivals.

"Shika?"

He didn't answer.

**"Shika!"**

What **_now_**?

He opened one eye and was then left in shock for the rest of their stay.

"I _love_ you _so_ much, Shikamaru!" Ino trilled as she cuddled to him happily. "You'll make a fine husband for me!"

He's what now?

Chouji barely paid any attention. That was old news to him.

He'd known from the moment they met each other one of them would have to marry the Yamanaka girl. He just waited for time to tell which of them was supposed to. Thank Kami it was Shikamaru. His friend was a genius. But when it came to feelings, he was as stupid as the rest of them. He loved Ino. He just didn't know the depth yet. At least Ino knew and took the matter in her hands or it would have taken a lot of god-awful more years before his best friend would realize it.

It was pretty obvious, really.

Ino was only drawn to Sasuke in the first place because she grew up with Shikamaru. They had all those similarities. She was only drawn to him because he was a really good looking guy when Shikamaru was still scrawny and felt like a brother.

Chouji finished the treasured piece and poked the ones he'd been cooking.

Shikamaru's cheeks flamed for the rest of the day whenever he thought of Ino's sudden kiss and whenever she wouldn't stop sidling up against him and forcing him to hold hands with her, fingers intertwined as they walked the new streets of Konoha with everyone they passed watching.

His one hand was constantly scratching the back of his head for the rest of the week.

Yakiniku's owners sent them their own grill for the wedding present.

Suffice it is to say, it didn't stop Team 10 from coming back every other day again.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Wasn't really a confession, I know, but hey, it counts.


End file.
